UFC middleweight Nick Ring was predictably “ecstatic” when he found out he would be competing in his home town of Calgary at UFC 149 this summer.
“I’ve been watching UFC ever since it started in ’93 and here it is coming to my own home town. I’m very ecstatic,” Ring told Joe Ferraro on The Showdown on Sportsnet 590 The Fan. “I never imagined (the UFC) would ever come to Calgary. I always thought it was too small a place.”
Ring was present at the press conference announcing the July 21 event and it was recently revealed he will fight The Ultimate Fighter season 11 winner Court McGee on the card.
As is the case with any fighter that competes in his home town, there are many things he’s going to have juggle leading up to the bout. But Ring says he isn’t worried about all the potential distractions (ticket requests, media obligations, etc.) he will be facing.
“Ever since that announcement things have definitely picked up,” Ring said. “I’ve got a lot more people coming out of the woodwork and I’m very happy about this news and I think everyone else is. I’m excited, I can’t wait for it.”
Ring (12-1) is coming off his first career loss as he dropped a unanimous decision to Tim Boetsch at UFC 135 last September, but he said he’s not dwelling on that outing.
“You win some you lose some. I’m not upset about it. That’s a part of this game,” Ring said. “You’ve just got to prepare the best way you can and the best way you know how and put it all on the line. You’ve just got to accept the result for what it is. Moving forward, I’m going to be training hard like I always do and go for it.”
His bout with McGee is a rematch of a fight from TUF 11. Ring won a majority decision over McGee, but after sustaining a knee injury the 33-year-old was forced to withdraw from the competition and McGee was reinserted into the tournament and ended up winning the show.
The decision was viewed as controversial, but Ring didn’t see it that way.
“I know he thinks he won (our first fight). I definitely disagree with that statement, but let’s try this again. Maybe he can vindicate himself.
“I’ve definitely changed as a fighter (since the first meeting). Time’s gone by, I’ve been training and I believe my skills improved. I know Court has (improved too), so whatever, let’s do this again.”
While most fighters heading into a fight are confident they can finish their opponents quickly, Ring doesn’t expect to finish McGee.
“No, I wouldn’t expect that at all actually. One thing I do know about Court is he’s tough and tenacious.”
Ring added that he believes it’s a mistake for fighters to enter the cage with the thought that they are simply going to run through their opponent and get a quick finish.
“These guys here in the UFC are the toughest men on the planet. The UFC is the Olympics of my sport. If you think you’re going to go in there and get some walk-over opponent you’re going to be very wrong and you’re going to regret that. Even when you train hard and do everything right you still might lose.”
Ring added: “I’m not taking Court lightly whatsoever. I don’t expect him to be a quick finish at all, but the harder I train the luckier I get.”
Ring hasn’t decided where he will complete his training camp, whether it’s at BDB Martial Arts in Calgary, or if he chooses to make the trip to Montreal and train at the Tristar Gym with Firas Zahabi. Regardless, Ring is happy to fight at home and the partisan crowd will be happy to see him there.
UFC 149 will take place inside the Scotiabank Saddledome and will be headlined by Jose Aldo defending his UFC featherweight title against a yet-to-be-determined opponent.
Also on The Showdown:
— UFC lightweight Mark Bocek talks about currently being in Montreal training with Zahabi and the Tristar team preparing for his upcoming fight against Matt Wiman at UFC 145 in Atlanta on April 21.
“Firas has been making it really hard for me,” said the Toronto native. “He’s been making the sparring really tough.”
Bocek said he is training with the likes of Rory MacDonald, who is fighting Che Mills on the same card, and revealed that he has enlisted the help of MMA nutritionist extraordinaire Mike Dolce to help him with his diet.
— Hear about Showdown’s time with acclaimed MMA trainer Greg Jackson.
— Muhammed (King Mo) Lawal was cut from Strikeforce due to controversial comments he made following a hearing about his failed drug test.
— Alistair Overeem’s punishment for a battery charge against him, and is there more to come?
— Jake Shields’ potential move back up to the 185-pound division.
— Dana White says the UFC will be in China by the end of 2012.
— The UFC tried to rent U2’s concert stage structure for their upcoming show in Brazil
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